Support for conduit

ABSTRACT

A support or holder for at least one line is surrounded by two holding clamps that can be clamped together by the application of tension. To achieve a simple construction and a high degree of flexibility with regard to the position and the cross section of the lines, there is a holding rail that can be formed for a plurality of pairs of holding clamps, whereby each two symmetrically curved holding clamps enclose a line between their concave facing sides in a form-fitting or frictional manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a holder more particularly to a supportfor pipelines, electrical lines, cables and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

For pipelines or electrical lines, the prior art in general provides theuse of holding clamps that have one or more recesses and that grip orsurround one or more lines that run parallel to one another. After thecorresponding line has been introduced into the respective recess, suchholding clamps are affixed to a support element by means of tensioningmeans such as screws, rivets etc. One disadvantage of this constructionis that the holder has a fixed and defined number of ways in whichpotential lines can be fastened, and also defines theirthree-dimensional arrangement in relation to one another.

The object of the invention is to provide a support in which holdingclamps of different sizes can be used as required, and/or their locationand orientation in relation to one another can be changed.

In one embodiment of a support or holder as disclosed by the invention,the use of a long holding rail and holding clamps mounted on it so thatthey are arranged in pairs with one another and can be displaced makesit possible to fasten different lines in any desired sequence over theavailable width of the holding rail. The holding clamps can thus bepushed onto the holding rail in pairs of suitable sizes in a flexiblearrangement, corresponding to the arrangement of the lines beingsupported. Because the pairs of holding clamps also consists of separateindividual clamps, the lines can also be inserted on an existing supportelement, in particular in a holder that as been pre-installed on a wallof a railway vehicle, radially between the expandable pairs of clampsthat sit radially on the holding rail. The pairs of clamps that gotogether are then connected together on their free ends by tensioningmeans, in particular bolt/nut connections. If the diameter or the circlethat surrounds this diameter is equal to or larger than the circle thatcan be inscribed in the area enclosed between two holding clamps of apair and the holding rail, then the line is at least frictionally fixedbetween the corresponding holding clamps and the relevant segment of theholding rail, whereby a force component is then created that presses theedges of the notches that reach around behind the holding rail againstthe backside of the holding rail, and thus secures the holding clamps toprevent them being displaced on the holding rail. On its ends, theholding rail preferably has a passage that lies outside the longitudinalportion surrounded by the holding clamps, so that it can be securelyfastened to a support element, thereby preventing a lateral sliding ofholding clamps. The holding rail preferably has a rectangular crosssection which is adapted to the corresponding notch in the U-legs of theholding clamps. In that case, however, the notches are somewhat largerthan the dimensions of the holding rail, to guarantee that they can bedisplaced easily along the holding rail. At the same time, the holdingclamps can also thereby be tipped to a limited extent with respect tothe holding rail, so that for the radial insertion of the lines betweentwo corresponding, symmetrically bent holding clamps with their concavesides facing one another and which complement one another to form a "U",these holding clamps do not need to be pushed as far onto the holdingrail as required by the diameter of the respective line. The free endsof the holding clamps can stand perpendicular to the longitudinal axisof the holding rail or parallel to the plane containing the notches inthe U-legs, and point away from the holding rail, so that tensioningmeans can be engaged which apply tension to these terminal segments andthus to the holding clamps themselves toward one another and therebygenerate the force required for the clamping of the inserted line. Forthis purpose, these terminal segments can have borings for a screw witha nut, for a rivet or similar tensioning means, which borings runparallel to the holding rail or to the axis of the notches. Theavailable length of the holding rail can thereby be greater thanrequired by the number of pairs of holding clamps, so that the positionof the holding clamps can be adjusted to the position of the respectivecable or tube being supported. A railway vehicle in which a holderrealized in this manner can be used can, on a wall element, support aC-profile rail, in which there is a hammer-shaped fastening anchor thatcan be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the C-profile rail,and which acts as the guidance and fastening element, to hold theholding rail in a frictional contact with the C-profile rail.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to theexemplary embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a holder on a wall element with a line held in place; and

FIG. 2 is an illustration is a lateral cross sectional view along lineA--A of the system illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a holding clamp of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a pair of holding clamps of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of a pair of holding clamps on a wall elementwith a pair of lines held in place according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A wall element 1 in the form of an extruded profile of a railway vehiclewhich is not illustrated in any further detail is equipped with aC-profile rail 2, which extends at least over a portion of the length ofthe wall element 1. Engaged in the C-profile rail 2 is the head 3 of afastening anchor 4 having a hammer-shaped cross section and which inthis case is realized in the form of a cap screw with a nut 5. Thefastening anchor 4 runs through a penetration 6 in a holding rail 7 thatis oriented at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of theC-profile rail. The penetration 6 is thereby located on a flat end ofthe holding rail 7, but outside the length area of the holding rail 7 onwhich the pairs of holding clamps 8, 9 are located. Each pair of holdingclamps 8, 9 is provided for the fastening of a line 10, which can be apipe, a cable or a similar object. The holding clamps 8, 9, shown inisolation in FIGS. 3 and 4, are curved symmetrically and face oneanother with their concave sides, so that between these holding clamps8, 9 and the corresponding segment of the holding rail 7, there remainsa free area which can contain the cross section of the line 10.

When the system is assembled, the holding clamps 8, 9 form a U-shape,shown generally as element 21 of FIG. 4, with terminal areas 11, 12 thatrun parallel to one another which form the free U-legs shown generallyas element 19 and 20 of the U-shape. The terminal areas 11, 12 projectat a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the holding rail 7 and alsoat a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the U-shape or of theinserted line 10, and each have a notch 13, through which the commonholding rail 7 is engaged. The preferably closed notch 13 seat is sizedso that the holding clamps 8, 9 can be pushed unhindered onto theholding rail 7 and if necessary can be tipped to a certain extent as aresult of the radial clearance. In the functional position, the terminalsegments 14 and 15 of the respective holding clamps 8, 9 facing awayfrom the holding rail 7 are held together by means of tensioning means16, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

A plurality of pairs of holding clamps 8, 9 sized to correspond to thediameter of the lines 10 can be pushed onto the holding rail 7,depending on the available length. The distance between the pairs ofholding clamps can thereby be adjusted as necessary, and can be variedaccording to the position of the lines 10 being supported. The holdingclamps 8, 9 must thereby be sized and arranged so that in thebolted-together position illustrated in FIG. 1, they are in contact bymeans of their segments running toward one another against the peripheryof the respective line 10, and thereby push this line 10 against heholding rail 7. The line 10 is thereby secured to prevent axialdisplacement, and simultaneously the notch edges 17 that grip the backof the holding rail come into frictional contact with the holding rail7. The displacement of the pair of holding clamps along the holding rail7 is thereby also prevented. The area enclosed between two correspondingholding clamps 8, 9 and the holding rail 7 thereby contains an inscribedcircle that, when the holding clamps 8, 9 are bolted together, is atmost equal to or smaller than the cross section of a line 10 that isintroduced between the holding clamps 8, 9.

The plane segments of the U-legs 11, 12 extend to approximately thecross section center line running perpendicular to them of thecorresponding line 10, while the adjacent curved segments run toward oneanother, as a function of the diameter of the line 10. The adjacentterminal segments 14, 15 that face away from the holding rail 7 runparallel to the plane that contains the notches 13 and point away fromthe holding rail 7, so that the space enclosed between the holdingclamps 8, 9 remains free for the insertion of the line 10. The terminalsegments 14, 15 to which the tension is applied, and which are usuallyat some distance from one another, have a boring that runs parallel tothe holding rail 7 or to the axis of the notches 13, whereby thetensioning means consisting of a bolt and nut, a rivet or a similarmeans is engaged through the borings thus created. With these tensioningmeans 16, the terminal segments 14, 15 are brought close together untila sufficient compression force is exerted on the line 10 to prevent anyunintentional displacement in the radial and axial directions.

A holder constructed in this manner offers a high degree of flexibilitywith regard to the ability to hold and retain different lines 10 at thedesired points along the holding rail 7, such as shown in FIG. 5. Theholder is also easy to install and when both ends of the holding railare secured, offers a high level of strength and captivity of theindividual parts, while remaining economical and lightweight. Lines ofdifferent thicknesses can thereby be fastened to the holding rail in anydesired sequence. Such a holder is also particularly well suited for usein a railway vehicle with wall elements made of extruded profiles, onwhich there can also be a profile rail, in particular a C-shaped profilerail, to which the holder can be frictionally fastened in any desiredposition along the profile rail.

What is claimed is:
 1. A holder for mounting lines on walls of railwayvehicles, comprising holding clamps that at least partly surround atleast one line and at least one tensioning means that holds the holdingclamps together, wherein for each of the lines there are two holdingclamps that are symmetrically curved and have concave sides facing oneanother, the holding clamps, when assembled, form a U-shape havingU-legs, the U-legs having terminal areas, wherein the terminal areas ofthe holding clamps are provided at a right angle to a longitudinal axisof the U-shape with at least one closed slot, wherein a common holdingrail runs through the at least one slot with radial clearance, andwherein terminal segments of the holding clamps facing away from theholding rail are held together by the at least one tensioning means. 2.The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs ofholding clamps on the holding rail are positioned adjacent to oneanother in a longitudinal direction of the rail.
 3. The holder asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the holding rail has at least onepenetration outside a longitudinal area surrounded by the holdingclamps.
 4. The holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holding railhas a rectangular cross section and the at least one slot in the U-legsof the holding clamps matches the cross sectional shape of the holdingrail.
 5. The holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the terminal segmentsof the holding clamps facing away from the holding rail are orientedsubstantially parallel to a plane that contains the at least one slotand face away from the holding rail.
 6. The holder as claimed in claim2, wherein when the holding clamps are clamped together, a circleinscribed in the area between the holding clamps and the holding rail isequal to or smaller than a cross section of the at least one lineintroduced between the holding clamps.
 7. The holder as claimed in claim1, wherein the holding rail has a rectangular cross section and the atleast one slot in the U-legs of the holding clamps matches the crosssectional shape of the holding rail.
 8. The holder as claimed in claim7, wherein the terminal segments of the holding clamps facing away fromthe holding rail are oriented substantially parallel to a plane thatcontains the at least one slot and face away from the holding rail. 9.The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal segments of theholding clamps facing away from the holding rail are orientedsubstantially parallel to a plane that contains the at least one slotand face away from the holding rail.
 10. The holder as claimed in claim1, wherein the terminal segments have borings that run substantiallyparallel to the holding rail for receiving the at least one tensioningmeans.
 11. The holder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least onetensioning means includes a bolt and nut combination or a rivet.
 12. Theholder as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the holding clamps areclamped together, a circle inscribed in the area between the holdingclamps and the holding rail is equal to or smaller than a cross sectionof the at least one line introduced between the holding clamps.
 13. Theholder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding rail has a lengthwhich is a multiple of a distance between the U-legs of a pair ofholding clamps.
 14. The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the atleast one line includes pipelines, electrical lines and cables.
 15. Theholder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal segments have boringsthat run substantially parallel to an axis of the at least one slot forreceiving the at least one tensioning means.
 16. The holder as claimedin claim 15, wherein the at least one tensioning means includes a boltand nut combination or a rivet.
 17. A holder for mounting lines on thewall of railway vehicles, comprising holding clamps that at least partlysurround at least one line and at least one tensioning means that holdsthe holding clamps together, wherein for each of the lines there are twoholding clamps that are symmetrically curved and have concave sidesfacing one another, the holding clamps, when assembled, form a U-shapehaving U-legs, the U-legs having terminal areas, wherein the terminalareas of the holding clamps are provided at a right angle to alongitudinal axis of the U-shape with at least one notch wherein acommon holding rail runs through the notches with radial clearance, andwherein terminal segments of the holding clamps facing away from theholding rail are held together by the at least one tensioning means, andwherein the holding rail has at least one penetration outside alongitudinal area surrounded by the holding clamps.
 18. The holder asclaimed in claim 12 wherein the holding rail has a rectangular crosssection and the at least one notch in the U-legs of the holding clampsmatches the cross sectional shape of the holding rail.
 19. The holder asclaimed in claim 12, wherein the terminal segments of the holding clampsfacing away from the holding rail are oriented substantially parallel toa plane that contains the notches and face away from the holding rail.20. A holder for mounting lines on the wall of railway vehicles,comprising holding clamps that at least partly surround at least oneline and at least one tensioning means that holds the holding clampstogether, wherein for each of the lines there are two holding clampsthat are symmetrically curved and have concave sides facing one another,the holding clamps, when assembled, form a U-shape having U-legs, theU-legs having terminal areas, wherein the terminal areas of the holdingclamps are provided at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of theU-share with at least one notch wherein a common holding rail runsthrough the notches with radial clearance, and wherein terminal segmentsof the holding clamps facing away from the holding rail are heldtogether by the at least one tensioning means, wherein the holder isconnected to a wall of a railway vehicle, the wall having a C-shapedprofile rail connected thereto, the C-shaped profile rail having afastening anchor having a hammer-shaped cross section, the fasteninganchor movable in a longitudinal direction of the C-profile, thefastening anchor holding the holding rail in frictional contact with theC-shaped profile rail.